Shower bath



June 20, 1939. N. FARNUM SHOWER BATH Filed Sept. 2, 1957 INVENTOR 1 0/7/79 /V. For/7 0/77 Patented June 20, 1939 UNITED STATES ATENTT OFFlCE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to shower baths, and particularly to standard shower baths, by which is meant the enclosed type of bath or bath cabinet as distinguished from showers mounted over bath tubs.

Enclosed shower baths or shower bath cabinets are relatively small in dimensions and the space enclosed is very limited. The floor of the bath is usually inclined or slopes downwardly from the walls of the center where the drain or outlet pipe is located.

It is generally conceded that shower bathing is more refreshing and healthful than tub bathing since impurities from the body are immediately carried away with the stream of water and the temperature of the water can be easily regulated during the progress of the bath.

However, in the standard bath it is difficult, hazardous and practically impossible to bathe and cleanse all parts of the body due to the limited space and since there is no means provided for steadying and supporting the bather as he washes his feet, legs or other parts of-his body.

As a matter of fact, to economize in space and cost the standard shower bath cabinet is so small in horizontal dimensions or area that the bather requires and utilizes practically all of the available floor space except a small triangular area in each corner.

Stools are sometimes provided for use in bath tubs or showers, but they are not adapted for use in enclosed shower baths or shower bath cabinets since the floor of a shower bath enclosure is inclined and the stool being round takes up too much space and interferes with the normal use of the shower. Such a stool is, moreover, unsuitable since the floor slopes and the legs engage the sloping floor and form an unstable support. Furthermore, if the bather is covered with soap his seat on the stool is unstable and hazardous.

With the above problems and difficulties in mind, this invention has for its salient object to provide a seat for use in a shower bath enclosure or cabinet, so constructed and arranged that it will utilize space in a corner of the cabinet or enclosure and will not interfere with or obstruct the use of the space normally available to the bather.

Another object of the invention is to provide a seat of the character and for the purpose described so designed that the water or shower stream will not be obstructed thereby, but can freely run ofi the bather.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specificationtaken in connection with the drawing which forms a part of this application, and in which Fig. -l is a' perspective elevation illustrating a shower bath cabinet having a stool or seat therein constructed in accordance with'the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken through one corner of the cabinet and showing in plan View a seat or stool constructed in accordance'with the invention;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the stool shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevational View of the stool shown in Figs. 2 and 3 looking in the direction of the arrow 4 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the stool shown in Fig. 5

The invention briefly described consists of a stool or seat adapted for use in the corner of a shower bath cabinet and comprising supporting frames arranged at right angles to each other and a plurality of legs for supporting the frames, the legs being arranged in planes disposed at right angles to each other. The supporting frames have secured thereto and support a seat or cross bar which extends across the angle and between the intersecting walls of the cabinet in which the seat is mounted.

Further details of the invention will appear from the following description.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-4 inclusiveQthe stool comprises legs II, I2, I3 and I4, connecting frames I5 and I6 being formed on the upper ends of the legs I I and I2 and of the legs I3 and I4. The legs I2 and I3 intersect or come together at their lower ends, as shown at IT. Cross bars or braces I8 and I9 connect the legs II and I2 the legs I3 and I4.

From the plan view in Fig. 2 it will be noted that the frames I5 and I6 are disposed in planes at right angles to each other and that the legs I I and I2 are disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the legs I3 and I4. Thus, when the seat is placed in a corner between walls 2|] and 2| of a shower bath cabinet A the frame I5 and legs II and I2 will be disposed closely adjacent to and parallel to the wall 20 and the frame I6 and the legs I3 and I4 will be disposed in a plane parallel to and closely adjacent the wall 2|. Furthermore, since the bottoms of the legs are disposed in abutting relation to the side walls of the cabinet and at the outer extremity of the floor dimensions, they will all be disposed at the same level, which would not be the case if one of the legs were disposed nearer to the center of the floor than the other legs.

A cross bar or seat 25 is secured in any suitable manner to the frames I5 and I6 and extends across the corner between the planes of the frames and connected legs. The seat or bar 25 is substantially flat and is relatively narrow, thus forming an opening 26 in the rear thereof and between the bar or seat and the corner formed by the intersection of the planes. This opening gives free access to the passage of water from the bather to the floor of the cabinet.

The stool shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1-4 inclusive, but differs therefrom in that the inner legs 30 and 3| instead of converging to a common point, as in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3, extend downwardly and are connected by a brace or rod 32. Otherwise the stool is substantially the same as that shown in the preceding figures.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that the stool can be utilized in a bath cabinet or enclosure and due to its right angle shape can be placed in the corner, in this way not obstructing the space normally available to the bather. When the bather desires to wash his arms, feet or legs he can seat himself on the stool which forms a firm support and is not unstable or hazardous, as would be the case if the ordinary stool were used in the cabinet.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. A corner seat for use in enclosed shower baths comprising a plurality of supporting legs, said legs being located in two planes disposed at right angles to each other, supporting frames on the upper ends of said legs, said frames being disposed in right angular relation to each other, and a seat mounted on said frames and extending across the angle therebetween, said seat being spaced from the corner formed by the planes of the supporting frames and being disposed entirely within the angle between said planes.

2. A corner seat for use in enclosed shower baths comprising a plurality of supporting legs, said legs being located in two planes disposed at right angles to each other, supporting frames on the upper ends of said legs, said frames being disposed in right angular relation to each other, and a substantially horizontal bar mounted on said frames and extending across the angle therebetween, said bar being spaced from the corner formed by the planes of the supporting legs.

3. A stool for use in shower bath cabinets comprising a pair of supporting frames arranged at right angles to each other, legs for supporting said frames, said legs being disposed in the right angle planes in which the frames are located, and a substantially horizontal seat mounted on said frames and connected thereto with the rear edge of said seat spaced a substantial distance from the line of intersection of said right angle planes.

LORING N. FARNUM. 

